Say No to Sucralose

Diet sodas, sugar free cakes and candies all have one thing in common - they are sweetened with sucralose. Sucralose, an artificial sweetener that is 600 times sweeter than sugar, was approved for use in foods by the Food and Drug Administration in 1998. Currently, it is the highest selling artificial sweetener in the US, being used in over 4,500 food items and topping sales at $177 million. The FDA claims that there have been over 100 studies performed with sucralose, boasting its safety for human use, however, further investigation reveals a serious concern for its presence in our foods

Sucralose is said to be made from sugar so it tastes like sugar, however the chemical processes the original sugar molecule goes through to become sucralose makes it appear more similar in nature to DDT, an insecticide that is hazardous to human health. The finished product cannot be found in nature and also contains chlorine, which has been found in numerous studies to be dangerous to human health. Sucralose approval by the FDA leads people to believe it is safe, but its true effects have not been sufficiently tested.

Of the numerous studies the FDA has conducted on sucralose, only 2 contain human participants, and furthermore only 23 people were actually tested with ingesting sucralose. The longest term study completed is four days and looks at how sucralose effects tooth decay. Of the remaining studies, most were done with animals, and serious side effects were found to occur. High doses of sucralose caused decreased red blood cell production, male infertility, brain lesions, enlarged kidneys, and spontaneous abortions. A study done at Duke University found healthy bacteria in the guts of rats reduced by up to 50% along with overall body weight increases. A study reported in The Journal of Mutation Research found large doses of sucralose damaging DNA in mice and a study done by the American Association of Occupational Health reports that sucralose may be associated with migraines.

Educate yourself on what products in your diet may contain sucralose by reading labels. If you find yourself looking for sugar free beverages and food items that contain sucralose, direct your attention to more natural options such as mineral water, black and green teas, coffee. vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds and meats. Choosing natural foods your body can recognize and has adapted to for thousands of years will ensure your best chances of health. The more artificial things become, the more disease may manifest itself in your body. The FDA may say sucralose is OK but you may be better off without it.